Bill Clifford graduated from the United States Air Force Academy and served as an F-15 jet fighter pilot for nearly a decade. He then earned a Doctor of Medicine and completed an internship in internal medicine, followed by a residency in ophthalmology with a joint fellowship in glaucoma and cornea/refractive surgery. Clifford spent a year abroad at a specialized eye hospital in Saudi Arabia before becoming an ophthalmologist, co-owning a practice in Kansas. He has also served on the Garden City Community College Board of Trustees and the Finney County Commission.

Bill Clifford's background as a military officer and physician lends a unique dual perspective to his political approach. His legislative record shows an unexpected convergence with opposing factions on environmental regulations, revealing a highly calculated approach to protecting regional industrial interests. Clifford's unwavering support for gun rights contrasts with a nuanced stance on healthcare policy that remains unexplored, raising questions about his overall ideological consistency.